The Hunters
by MohawkWoman
Summary: Late one summer's afternoon, two hunters creep silently through the forest, stealthily seeking their prey. Just a brief little oneshot I came up with that I thought I would share with you. Enjoy!


**The Hunters**

A warm summer breeze drifted through the forest, gently stirring the leaves on the trees and underbrush. Above the leafy canopy overhead, the sun gradually made its daily migration across the sky. As always, its destination was the western horizon. Occasionally, the quiet of the forest was broken by the raucous call of a crow, or by the pleasant song of a meadowlark.

No sound could be heard however, from the moccasined feet of two hunters, who silently maneuvered their way through the dense woodland. Slowly they moved, carefully taking each step to ensure they did not snap a single twig, or cause even one leaf to rustle. Taking great pains to hide their presence, the two hunters forged onward, steadily gaining on the unsuspecting prey they were tracking.

Every so often, the older of the two hunters would stop, raising a hand to signal the younger one to stop as well. Without a word, the pair stood stock still, cocking their heads as their eyes scanned the terrain ahead for the prize they sought. Only when they were certain they were on the right track, and that their presence had not been detected, would they move forward. They could afford no mistakes to be made. Previous hunts had failed, and it was imperative that this one be a success.

Continuing onward for a short distance more, the lead hunter once again came to a stop, and crouched down behind a small pine tree. The younger hunter followed suit, and the pair quietly peered through the branches. Ahead of them, resting by the riverbank, was their prey. As their excitement grew, both hunters kept their breathing steady as they readied themselves for the next move. Carefully, the pair stood and soundlessly moved closer to their unsuspecting prey. Finally, when the hunters were only a few steps away, they struck.

 _"_ _GOT YOU!"_

Peals of laughter immediately erupted as the prey deftly "captured" the two hunters, who were mercilessly tickled until their intended victim deemed them duly punished.

"Did you think to catch me with my guard down? Huh? Did you?" the smiling "prey" asked, as he rotated between tickling his two giggling attackers.

"Father! How did you know we were coming? We made not a sound this time!" the younger hunter demanded, when the "punishment" finally concluded.

"A warrior must always be alert of his surroundings. He must listen for the rustle of a leaf that is not being moved by the wind. He must be aware of the bird that suddenly stops singing. And he must know when two sneaky women are creeping up on him!"

With a soft laugh, Uncas tweaked the nose of his daughter, then cast a quick smile at his wife. Quickly retracting his hand, he stuck the tip of his thumb between his index and middle finger and held it aloft.

"Missing something?" he asked, before pretending to throw the little girl's nose into the river.

 _"_ _Father!_ I _need_ that!" the little girl protested, falling once again for Uncas' little prank.

"You do?" he replied. "Well. Lucky for you, I always carry a spare." Reaching his open hand into a pouch on his belt, Uncas withdrew the hand with another "nose" protruding between his fingers. With another tweak, he pretended to attach it to his daughter's face, much to the little one's delight. As the child giggled and rubbed her "new" nose, her parents shared a warm look between them.

"I suppose we should be returning home." Alice said softly, a note of regret in her voice. "As much as I would like to remain here, we must get back so that I can prepare the fish you caught for our dinner."

Nodding his agreement, Uncas gracefully rose to his feet, then reached out his hand to help Alice up. Slinging his musket over his shoulder, he retrieved his catch of trout and his fishing spear. Placing his free arm around Alice's shoulders as she slid her arm around his waist, Uncas stole a quick kiss as they began their return home, with their little girl happily trotting along ahead of them. Once again, the quiet of the forest was broken by the sound of a crow, the song of a meadowlark, and the soft murmuring voices of husband and wife.

 **~The End~**

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this little moment in the lives of Uncas and Alice. The idea came to me today while I was at work, and I thought it would make a fun little oneshot. Did any of you suspect who the hunters were? :)

For those of you who are following Second Chances, I want to assure you I am hard at work on the next chapter. Please be patient with me as I work on it. It is a very important chapter, and I want to get it just right. I promise you won't be disappointed. My thanks to all of you for your support! You're the best! :3

MohawkWoman :)


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